


sleepless in wherever

by sarufish



Category: Bandom, Cobra Starship
Genre: Insomnia, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-08-24
Updated: 2014-08-24
Packaged: 2018-02-14 12:38:57
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,257
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2192154
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sarufish/pseuds/sarufish
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Gabe's been known to have sleeping problems</p>
            </blockquote>





	sleepless in wherever

It was late. Pretty late. What time was it again? Gabe didn’t know the exact time but he guessed it was about ass o’clock.   
  
They had just gotten back on the bus after a show and everyone was exhausted, too tired to even throw an after party. Everyone trudged back onto the bus and made their way to their bunks. Well, some of them didn’t make it the whole way. Victoria was lying half in the hallway between their beds. Gabe’s pretty sure Nate fell asleep in the middle of changing his clothes.  
  
Gabe was fucking tired, too, but his insomnia was ever persistent and it was just his luck he was out of Ambien. He was lying in bed, staring at the ceiling while his bandmates were snoring away blissfully. He was actually pretty jealous of them. Even when he managed to fall asleep, he tossed and turned and never felt fully rested. His mind was buzzing, he was always moving even when he was running on fumes.   
  
He was starting to get agitated. They had a gig the next night and Gabe hated when he couldn’t put on a show for the fans. Annoyed at himself, Gabe crawled out of his bunk. He didn’t know what good that would do but he was restless now. He paced the hallway quietly, pausing to roll Vicky into her bunk so he wouldn’t trip over her. She was so sound asleep that she didn’t even notice. Gabe envied her and everyone else who was unconscious.   
  
He was on his third or fourth pass through the hallway when he felt a hand on his shoulder. It startled him and he had to cover his mouth to keep in his yelp of surprise.   
  
"Dude, what are you doing up?" It was dark, but Gabe could just make out Ryland’s silhouette in the low light. His voice was sleepy and his hair was all messed up. He was squinting at Gabe, his eyes trying to adjust.   
  
"S-sorry, man, I didn’t mean to wake you. Can’t sleep." Gabe whispered back, hoping not to wake anyone else. Ryland frowned at him. Whenever Gabe mentioned he had trouble sleeping, everyone would worry about him. He tried to hide it from them most of the time because he hated getting them worked up. That never seemed to work on Ryland, though. The guitarist could tell when Gabe was being less than truthful. He never called Gabe out on it, though. Gabe hated the hurt look on his face, it made him feel guilty about hiding shit from his bandmates. It wasn’t that he didn’t trust them. He just didn’t feel that it was worth concerning them over. It was his dumb problem, and he had to deal with it.   
  
Ryland seemed to think differently, though. He scooted over in his bunk, motioning for Gabe to join him. Gabe sighed defeatedly and hoisted himself up into Ryland’s bed. Ryland gently pulled Gabe to his chest, and Gabe was thankful that it was dark enough to hide the blush on his face. If Ryland thought this would calm Gabe down, he was very wrong. Gabe’s mind was reeling, he was having sensory overload. Ryland was warm and firm and he smelled like spring time and Gabe’s heart was beating wildly. He was rigid, afraid of moving wrong and making Ryland change his mind about inviting Gabe into his bed. Normally Gabe would see this as an opportunity to play it up and get close to his tall friend, but there was no alcohol and no cameras to act as a buffer between Gabe and his feelings. This was dangerous. Gabe, by himself, was vulnerable and anxious, but it was easy to hide behind a few drinks and a douchey persona. Like, he was still an asshole, but deep down, he was a sensitive asshole. Uh, or whatever.   
  
"Gabe, you’re thinking too loud, man." Ryland mumbled sleepily. He must have heard the gears in Gabe’s head whirring. Gabe murmured an apology and tried to relax. He felt Ryland rubbing lazy circles on his back, and he let out a breath. Gabe pressed closer to Ryland’s chest, listening to the guitarist’s heartbeat.   
  
"If this is weird or something, we can talk about it in the morning if you want." Ryland whispered, barely audible. Gabe could hear his heartbeat pick up slightly. Instead of answering, Gabe just wrapped himself more securely around Ryland. He felt Ryland’s arms close around him. Gabe closed his eyes and focused on the rhythmic beat of Ryland’s heart, forcing himself to forget about everything else. The last thing he remembered before finally falling asleep was Ryland kissing his hair.   
  
In the morning, Gabe woke to the sound of someone calling his name and nudging him. He hadn’t slept that well in months and he didn’t want it to be over just yet. He groaned and tried to press himself against the wall of the bunk, but something was blocking him. Something warm and kinda muscle-y. Gabe rubbed the sleep from his eyes and opened them to find a pair of wide bright blue eyes looking back at him. The more he started to wake up, the more he realized he was completely wrapped around the owner of said blue eyes.   
  
"Morning, Gabriel." Ryland smiled at him warily, probably worried that Gabe had forgotten what happened last night and that he’d freak out. Instead of bolting, Gabe returned to his spot nestled next to Ryland.   
  
"Too early for morning, need more sleep." Gabe mumbled indignantly. Ryland laughed and let Gabe wrap around him again.  
  
"You know, we’re gonna have to talk about this sooner or later." Ryland murmured as he stroked Gabe’s curly hair. Gabe mumbled incoherently into Ryland’s chest in response.   
  
"C’mon, dude. I’m serious."  
  
Gabe sighed and pulled away. “What is there to talk about? Is this… Is it not cool?” Gabe looked genuinely confused. His confusion only seemed to confuse Ryland too.   
  
"I— what? No, it’s fine, it’s just…"  
  
"It’s what? Is it gay? Dude, it’s too early for an identity crisis."   
  
"Shut up. It’s not that it’s gay. I’m completely fine with that."   
  
"So what’s the problem?"  
  
"The problem is that there is no problem." Ryland looked flustered trying to explain it to Gabe. And Gabe was just trying to lighten the situation. He was afraid Ryland would freak out and turn it into something it wasn’t. Well… It was something, but if Ryland didn’t want it to be, then Gabe could go along with it. Supposedly.   
  
Ryland sighed and tried to think of what to say. Gabe rested his head on Ryland’s chest.   
  
"Look, it doesn’t have to mean anything. I mean— if you don’t want it to, ya know." Gabe mumbled, not even sure if Ryland could hear him.  
  
Ryland didn’t answer at first. He just put his arms around Gabe and pulled him closer. He stroked the singer’s back in lazy circles. Gabe hadn’t realized he had tensed up again. Once he relaxed, his eyes started feeling heavy again. He didn’t know what it was about Ryland, but Gabe felt at peace lying next to him like this. He was just about to doze off again when the guitarist spoke up softly.   
  
"I do. Want it to, that is."  
  
Gabe smiled to himself and wrapped himself more securely around Ryland right before falling asleep again. Ryland kissed Gabe’s hair and settled in again, thinking if this continues, they’ll have to invest in a bus with bigger bunks next time. 


End file.
